Running Lines issue 1 - Old Cranbrookians Association

THURSDAY 5 MARCH
TERM 1 WEEK 6
Kick Off 2015
Welcome to Running Lines: Cranbrook's weekly rugby newsletter designed to keep players,
parents, coaches, old boys and friends informed about Cranbrook Rugby. Months of behind
the scenes planning have ensured that we are positioned to deliver another program of the
highest quality to rugby players at Cranbrook. There is plenty to be excited about with Senior
School training beginning Tuesday March 10 and Junior School training Monday March 23.
Preparations are well underway for five tours over the Easter Holidays which will see our
boys travel to places including Rotorua, Cowra, Canberra and Armidale.
Edition 1 contains plenty of information about the upcoming season, as well as a special
feature on Hugh Summerhayes as he shares with us a diary of his time with the Australian
Schoolboys in September and October. Many of you would have seen some of the action on
television and it was an exciting finish to a magical year of Cranbrook Rugby.
Enjoy the first edition of Running Lines; I look forward to seeing you on the sideline in the
very near future.
Luke Bower – Head of Rugby
Cranbrook Rugby Welcome Package and Rugby Handbook
Coming in the mail to all Cranbrook Rugby players is a welcome package to rugby which
includes a souvenir photo of the 2014 1st XV Premiership Side, a 2015 fixture list and an
updated Cranbrook Pathway to the Wallabies chart.
The 2015 Rugby Handbook will also be electronically delivered to all players and parents.
This document is the first port of call for any questions regarding Cranbrook Rugby. It
outlines things such as training and playing uniforms, protective equipment, 1st XV support
as well as highlighting all Cranbrook 1st XV Captains and those Cranbrookians that have
gone on to represent the country at Schoolboy and Wallaby level.
The second half of the handbook is a High Performance Manual which is a must read for all
players as they prepare for the season ahead.
Fixtures - Internal Trials – Saturday 14 March
Rugby
Team
Opposition
Venue
Time
1sts/2nds Squad
Training/Trials
Hordern
1.30pm - 3.30pm
Opens (non 1sts/2nds)
Training/Trials
Hordern
12.30pm – 2.00pm
16s (All teams)
Training/Trials
Hordern
11.00am - 1.00pm
15s (All teams)
Training/Trials
Hordern
10.00am - 12.00pm
14s (All teams)
Training/Trials
Hordern
8.30am - 10.30am
13s (All teams)
Training/Trials
Hordern
7.00am - 9.00am
Health and Safety Information Evening
Wednesday March 11 is the date of our Rugby Safety Information Evening. The night is
designed to outline the procedures in place to ensure our boys are as safe as possible. The
highlight of the night will be a presentation by Dr Maja Markovich on Concussion
Management. The evening is aimed at all members of the rugby community (parents, players
and coaches) and starts at 6.30pm and concludes at 7.30pm in the Carter Hall.
Junior School Rugby Camp
A flyer has been added to the Holiday Camp section of Cranbrook Connect outlining details
of the upcoming Junior School camp. Dates are from Tuesday 7 April to Friday 10 April.
Cranbrook Rugby Celebration – Friday May 1
All tables are now sold out! A full list of auction prizes will be distributed shortly to families
who may bid on the online prizes even if they are unable to attend the lunch.
Years 1 and 2 Rugby Program
For the first time, Cranbrook Rugby will be running a Year 1 and 2 program designed to give
the boys a taste of the sport from a young age. Full details will shortly be circulated to Year 1
and 2 families.
Junior School Rugby Launch
The invitation to the Cranbrook Junior School Rugby Launch BBQ is now on Cranbrook
Connect. It is being held Friday 27th March after Junior School sport at Dangar with all boys
and parents welcome.
Rugby FAQ
Does every boy make a team? Yes. Every boy that chooses rugby will get put in a team to
compete in the CAS (Senior School) or IPHSA/7s Rugby (Junior School) competition.
Are mouthguards and headgear compulsory? Mouthguards - yes for both trainings and
games. Headgear is worn at the discretion of the individual player. If you got a mouthguard
fitted through the school service, they will arrive by Monday.
Does the school like boys playing club rugby? Absolutely. Local clubs in the area are Bays
Rugby (www.baysrugby.com.au) and Easts Wallaroos (www.eastswallaroos.com.au).
Term 1 Key Dates – Senior School
WEEK 7A
 Tuesday 10th March - Opens @ Hordern; 16s, 15s @ Woollahra
 Wednesday 11th March – 14s @ Hordern, 13s @ Woollahra
 Thursday 12th March - CAS SWIMMING – NO TRAINING
 Friday 13th March - 14s @ Hordern; 13s @ Woollahra
 Saturday 14th March: Internal Trials – Hordern Oval
WEEK 8B
 Tuesday 17th March – Opens @ Hordern; 16s, 15s @ Woollahra
 Wednesday 18th March - 14s @ Hordern, 13s @ Woollahra
 Thursday 19th March - Opens @ Hordern; 16s, 15s @ Woollahra
 Friday 20th March - 14s @ Hordern, 13s @ Woollahra
 Saturday 21st March: Trials v St Pius (H)
 Sunday 22nd March – 1sts/2nds – Old Boys Day
WEEK 9A
 Tuesday 24th March – Opens @ Hordern; 16s, 15s @ Woollahra
 Wednesday 25th March – 13s, 14s – NO TRAINING
 Thursday 26th March - Opens @ Hordern; 16s, 15s @ Woollahra
 Friday 27th March – 13s, 14s – NO TRAINING
 Saturday 28th March: 1sts, 2nds, 3rds, 16A v Shore (H)
WEEK10B
 Tuesday 31st March – NZ Tour Squad, 16s ACT Squad @ Hordern
TOUR DATES:
 1st XV, 2nd XV New Zealand: Thursday 2 April – Saturday 11 April
 16A to ACT: Tuesday 14 April – Friday 17 April
 13A & 14A to Country NSW: Friday 17th April – Sunday 19 April (pre tour camp
15&16/4)
 12A to Armidale: Thursday 16 April – Sunday 19 April
 15A to Gold Coast: 4th July – 10th July

Saturday 18 April – 1sts, 2nds, 16A v Oakhill (H)
Diary of an Australian Schoolboy -Hugh Summerhayes
It was hard to put into words the experience I had as part of the Australian Schoolboys set up
in 2014. It was three weeks of my life that I will never forget and a fantastic way to top off the
most special year of my life to date. Hopefully the below gives you a taste of what it was like
and I look forward to seeing more Cranbrookians represent Australia in the years to come.
Friday 19 September - Monday 22 September: Intensive training camp at St Ignatius
College, Riverview
• Training Camp. I had originally been selected in July and several months had passed before
we actually came into camp. The time in camp had two main focusses: to get to know each
other and to get to know how we were going to play rugby. It was both exciting and nerve
racking as boys arrived having flown in from all over the country. To my surprise, there were
no ‘super-egos’ in the team and the boys came together quickly. I knew all the NSW players
well from my time at the National Championship but the Queenslanders had now gone from
enemy to team mate. They were all great and the team came together very well from the first
morning.
• Every morning of the camp we had a stretching session, and you had to log in to
‘Smartabase’ and log your muscle soreness, general wellbeing and any other health issues.
Our days consisted of five meals and three training sessions, each followed by an active water
based recovery session or ice bath. I also managed to do some study for the looming HSC. It
was an exhausting few days but necessary for the huge challenges ahead.
Tuesday 23 September: Travel day
• 4:45am Wake up for a 5:00am breakfast and 5:30 departure. There was no need for an
alarm when you are about to leave on a rugby tour. From my first rugby tour many years
ago, these are the most exciting days of the year. This was only exaggerated when we were
travelling as the Australian Schoolboys to the home of rugby, New Zealand. 8:30am flight
to Wellington and then a transfer from Wellington airport to Silver Stream, Upper Hut.
• My room-mate for this leg of the trip was Tom Blake – one of three Victorian players in
the squad and a fellow forward. Dinner was followed by a video session previewing the
Fijian side and an early bed time. The video session put us in no doubt how big and skillful
the Fijians were.
Wednesday 24 September - Thursday 25th September: Training days
• 7:30am wake up, team stretch and wellbeing testing. Transfer to Upper Hutt Rugby Club
which was our home base training venue for most of the tour.
• The focus of our training over these two days was to refine our set piece and starter plays.
Each session was followed by either an ice bath or hot/cold showers which were both
outdoors in a balmy 6 degrees.
• Today I also found out I had been selected on the bench for the test match v Fiji. After
dinner there were one on one meetings with the coaches clarifying individual roles and
looking over video analysis ahead of tomorrow’s test match v Fiji.
Friday 26th September: Match day Australia V Fiji
• 8:30am wake up. It had been a long season and I think I was up to my 27th game of rugby
for 2014 but I woke up so excited to represent my country for the first time. Strapping in
the morning was next on the agenda and the hours were passing very slowly. I was trying
to stay calm but the excitement was really too great. It was humbling to receive so many
good luck messages from people back home but it made me even more nervous.
• The Jersey presentation for the Fiji Test match was done by our Head Coach, Mr
Philpotts who himself was an Australian Schoolboy.
• 1 o'clock departure for the hour and a half bus ride to Levin. It was a long bus ride with
the mood on the bus a combination of nerves and excitement. We knew we were entering
the most physical battle of our short careers.
• One of my proudest moments: lining up to sing the national anthem as brothers in arms
representing our country. My family had flown across en masse to watch and that made it
even more special. They had all sacrificed so much and to share this with them was beyond
words.
• The game itself got off to a shaky start with Fiji scoring a runaway try early in the match.
There was little differentiation in body shape in the Fijians 1 through 15. The generic feature
was 100kg+, 6ft+, and fast as lightning. Despite this, we managed to overcome their size and
physicality through smart play and well-structured attack which eventually opened up the
game. I came on with twenty minutes left and was happy with my contribution. They were
definitely the biggest team I had ever played but I had to trust my technique and work ethic to
overcome the physical hurdles. Final score: Australia 50 Fiji 15.
• In the changing rooms we sang the National Anthem together as a squad of coaches, players
and management. Another moment that words will not do justice and I will never forget.
• After the game there was a dinner function with a meet and greet with the Fijian boys. They
were markedly different people off the field as opposed to on: happy, welcoming and
humorous. It was great to mix with the opposition in this fashion. Finally got to bed around
midnight - one of the best days of my life.
Saturday 27th September: Recovery, Review and Outing
• 9:30am sleep in for a 10:00am breakfast followed by an active recovery. Drive in to
Wellington, do a beach recovery session - the locals think we are crazy with high winds and
sub 10 degrees conditions. So did I – it was freezing. We then had some rare free time to
walk around Wellington and see the sights.
• Video analysis and match review before dinner then early to bed. We realised we had
plenty of work to do if we were to beat New Zealand and New Zealand Barbarians.
Sunday 28th September - Monday 29th September: Training days
• Similar to training days before the Fijian game, with a change in focus from learning and
preparing to improving and refining. All training sessions were videoed and reviewed. We
trained on a synthetic field or in doors as the weather deteriorated.
• The cold had the strange effect of bringing the boys closer together whilst the facilities,
injury management programs and lifestyle gave us a good indication of life as a professional
athlete. I was really in rugby heaven and loving every minute of it.
• I got picked in the starting side for the New Zealand Barbarians match which I knew was
going to be a huge challenge. The Jerseys for the Barbarians game were presented by our
Strength and Conditioning Coach, Mr Moloney – also the Barker 1st XV Coach.
Tuesday 30th September: Match day Australia V New Zealand Barbarians
• A lot of nervous energy in the morning ahead of the first match against the Kiwis. The
game was played half an hour away at Porirua Park. It was a 1:10pm kick off and because
the game was televised live in New Zealand and Australia, the warm up and preparation had
to be planned down to the minute.
• Next was another highlight of the trip: facing the Haka. Inspiring, scary, awesome. It
created this unbelievable energy about the ground which I’d argue motivated each side
equally although perhaps in different ways. To the game itself, the kiwis were outstanding.
The entire team had a fully developed skill set with all players 1 – 15 having footwork, an
ability to play make and a ruthless efficiency at the breakdown.
• Unfortunately we had a red card to our 5/8 in the opening minutes which had a significant
effect and made us play with 14 men for most of the contest. The Barbarians went on to win
the game 39-21 - their one man overlap proving decisive off set piece and in starter plays. I
was disappointed in the result but took heart from our ability to play a man short for the
entire game. The next game was the biggest of them all – the test match against New
Zealand.
Wednesday 1st October - Friday 3rd October: Transfer to Wellington and training
days.
• Wednesday was a recovery day, with both land based and water based recovery sessions.
We went to Upper Hutt Rugby Club for the last time and thanked them for allowing us to
use their grounds presenting them with a jersey. Following that we left Silverstream, Upper
Hut and moved into a hotel in Wellington. Training for the next couple of days was done on
a synthetic university field which was a short walk from our hotel. It was great to be in the
heart of Wellington which was quite a cool little city not dissimilar to Sydney.
• I was picked off the bench for the test match and was looking forward to getting my
opportunity to make an impact.
• Prior to the game the jerseys were presented to us by Jamie Siddons, a former professional
cricketer and current cricket coach in Wellington.
Saturday 4th October: Game day Australia v New Zealand
• Game day. There was so much nervous energy in the morning. Here we were about to take
on New Zealand in their own backyard. We had our last team stretch and meeting before
transferring to Porirua Park. The weather rapidly changed from sunny and clear to freezing
and hailing in the warm up. We sung the national anthem in hail hitting us horizontally the
wind was so strong. Not even the weather could tame the New Zealand Haka – it was awe
inspiring.
• The Haka clearly took effect as NZ dominated the play for the opening half. Their skills
were a class above. We went in to the half down 24-3. However, like any proud Australian
side, we clawed our way back in to the fight. Three converted tries found us at 24-27 with
five minutes to go. The pressure and pace of the game was relentless, but NZ managed to
hold our attack at bay and unfortunately scored a try on the buzzer against the run of play.
Overall, New Zealand were the deserved winners but we almost ran them down in the
second half. The coaching staff were disappointed but extremely proud of the effort we had
shown.
• That night there was a post-match function for all four teams, where we sat on our tables
with our opposing numbers. This was a fantastic opportunity to meet and get to know the
boys from NZ and Fiji, and was an event where the true spirit of rugby shone through. It was
a fitting end to our tour.
Sunday 5th October: Travel Day
We were coming home. The reality of year 12 and the HSC was waiting for me just a few
days after returning. I had to leave this rugby loving country behind and board a plane at
1:00pm. What a surreal experience that I will never forget.
Australian Schools Rugby Union & Classic Wallabies
Luncheon 2015
If you wish to support the Australian School who do a fantastic job in providing a pathway
for student like Hugh, they are holding their annual fundraising lunch in March. This event
takes place Friday 27 March and in recent years we have had several Cranbrook tables.
Booking details can be found at http://www.schoolsrugby.com.au/2014/news/australianschools-fund-raising-luncheon-2015/
Budding Rugby Photographers
We are looking for any keen students or parents with a passion for photography to assist in
taking photos during the season. These photos will be used on a regular basis in Running
Lines and other Cranbrook publications. Please email Luke Bower
([email protected]) if you are interested.
Have Questions or Feedback?
Please feel free to contact Luke Bower, Head of Rugby, via email
([email protected]) or 93279428